Fire-escape



(No Model.)

W. CHAS-E.

FIRE ESGAPE.

No. 278,655. Patented May- 29, 1883.

71% ifman 6' a;

N. PETERS. Photo-L lho m her. \lashihgln 4 I10v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WHITMAN CHASE, OF NORTH DIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,655,.dated May 29, 1883.

Application filed March 5, 1883. (No' model.)

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofa. Window with my fire-escape ladder applied to it and unrolled ready for use. Fig. 2 is a section showing the ladder in a folded state and covered by its shield.

The nature of my invention is defined in the claim hereinafter presented.

In the drawings, A denotes the window of a building, and a. the sill ot' the frame ofsuch window. A ladder, B, composed of two long ropes, or, .by preference, chains, Z) I), and ot' rungs 00, &c., of metal or other suitable material, is at its upper end to be firmly attached to the window-sill, or to the building immediately below such. At its lower end the ladder is fixed to a heavy rod or bar, 0. On revolving this bar the ladder may be wound around it and up to the window-sill, which having been donefa flexile metallic shield or cover, D, fixed to the building below the sill and depending therefrom, is to be turned up around the roll and hooked or otherwise properly secured to the sill. This shield serves not only as a protector to theladder,to prevent the acof contact with the building. i

In case of the building being on fire, persons therein can easily escape by way of the ladder. After having drawn the ladder upward through the window the rod or bar 0 may be seized by the hands and revolved,so as to wind the lad-.

der around it and up to the sill. When down, the ladder may extend by one or more windows, E, below the upper one, in which case it may answer as a fire-escape for persons in the stories having sneh'windows.

I do not claim a flexile or folding ladder, such being very old; but

I claim---- The combination of the ladder fastened at its upper end to a building,or to a window-sill thereof, with a flexile shield arranged therewith, as set forth, and with a heavy rod or bar attached to the opposite or lower end of such ladder, all being substantially audto operate as and for the purpose explained.

WHITMAN CHASE,

B. G. HELT. 

